Rossi believes Burgess decision was right

18 March 2014 11:05

Valentino Rossi believes his decision to axe long-serving Jeremy Burgess as his crew chief is being vindicated.

The 35-year-old is delighted at how things have begun with new crew chief Silvano Galbusera ahead of this weekend’s season opener in Qatar.

“I like a lot the way to work with Silvano,” Rossi told MCN. “I am happy. I felt OK working with Jerry but I feel very good with Silvano.

“He works very hard and always wants to find something better. He is never happy.”

Rossi took the bold decision to relieve Burgess of his duties after a hugely successful partnership had become stagnant in the Italian’s view.

The 60-year-old had presided over Rossi’s success since his Honda debut in 2000 and contributed to the Italian’s historic title wins at Yamaha from 2004 to 2010, before moving again with Rossi to Ducati.

That move was ill-fated as the 35-year-old failed miserably on the Italian machinery but Burgess helped revive Rossi’s career back at Yamaha last year before the split.

“The Doctor” failed to really challenge the title-chasing trio of Marc Marquez, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa in 2013 but he believes with Galbusera on board things can be different.

“I'm happy because there is a good atmosphere with all my Australian mechanics,” continued the Yamaha rider.

“They were very shocked at the beginning with the change from Jeremy. Now they feel good with Silvano and this is important."

As for Rossi, he feels that one thing Galbusera has that Burgess didn’t is a common denominator, his nationality.

“Speaking Italian for the details is important,” affirmed Rossi, something his crew chief agrees with.

“There are times when it can be very important because we discuss in English because the Japanese are there, but the final discussion you can understand the best detail of the problems in Italian,” Galbusera also told MCN.

“With the final comments, I think it is very important to speak in the same language.

"When we are talking, 90% of the time Matteo (Flamigni, data technician, also Italian) is involved and it is better to look at the rider comment, check the data and take a decision. You can do this more quickly by speaking the same language.”

Source: DSG